To the editor:

In his April 6 letter to the editor, Rep. Paul Torkelson notes that Senator Amy Klobuchar recently visited Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm. He thanks her for wanting to do something for nursing homes in the state and then goes on to complain about Democrats not listening and not taking the crisis seriously. The problem of low pay for nursing home staff has been in the making and did not become a crisis suddenly. Rep. Torkelson has won eight consecutive elections to the Minnesota House starting in 2008. He has held Republican leadership positions in both the minority and the majority. Leadership should mean consistently working together to solve a problem. Leadership is not figuring out who to blame.

Darrell Hinsman

New Ulm